In Series 13 of CBBC’s The Dumping Ground, which released earlier this year, Alexandra Perez Ramos joined the cast as regular character Harmony, which marked her first character on screen. Alexandra works with a cast including Kanon Narumi (Hana), Mimi Robertson (Maisie) and Lara Mehmet (Bonnie), and she attended the launch event in January alongside the cast and Dani Harmer (Tracy Beaker) and Kia Pegg (Jody Jackson). As a cast member of The Dumping Ground, Alexandra was a guest on Blue Peter in February, and she continues in her role with Series 14 already filmed with an upcoming release. On stage, Alexandra played Little Cosette in the 2022 UK & Ireland Tour of Les Misérables, and as a singer, she reached the Battles round on Series 7 of The Voice Kids in 2023 for Team Danny Jones. Also having experience in commercials and voiceover, Alexandra filmed the Sainsbury’s – Helping Everyone Eat Better commercial and voiced several characters in the video game Final Fantasy XVI, mainly for the character Ruqa. Speaking with Alexandra, she told us about joining The Dumping Ground in Series 13, her regular role of Harmony in the CBBC show, playing Little Cosette in Les Misérables and being a contestant on Team Danny Jones for The Voice Kids.

What was it like finding out you’d booked the regular role of Harmony in The Dumping Ground for your first character on screen, and what are you enjoying most about working with CBBC?

It was such an amazing moment! Two years before, I made it to the final audition for the role of Izzy but didn’t get it. Then I auditioned for Hana, but they kept trying to see how far I could push my anger and cheekiness, which didn’t seem quite Hana-like but I did it anyway. Then my agent told me that they wanted me to audition for the role of Harmony, and I booked it!

I love working with the CBBC crew because they’re kind and reassuring! I enjoy working with them because there are many moments of laughter and blooper reels, but we also have to be professional, we have to learn our lines and stay focussed on set. Kia Pegg (Jody Jackson) is our acting coach and I’ve learnt so many useful tips to help make everything easier and quicker on set.

How did you feel when your first series (Series 13) released earlier this year and how has it been seeing the fan response to your character?

I was so excited to see everyone on the screen! My family were looking forward to watching the opening titles, and seeing me inside the boxes in the house. As we entered the BBC building for Blue Peter, a group of children in the hallway spotted us. I was not expecting their reaction at all! At first, I thought they were reacting to something else, but then I heard them calling our character names and I think I was probably more shocked at their excitement and reaction than they were to see us!

How would you describe Harmony and what is she like to play?

Harmony is a feisty, witty character, but she can sometimes be seen as a troublemaker by most. She doesn’t get along with many people in the DG, but I think that’s just how she likes it. Despite her tough front, you can really see her vulnerable and caring side when she’s with her younger sister, Phoenix.

I have such a blast playing her! To be honest, it’s so much fun getting to argue, roll my eyes at people, and be moody, but I also really enjoy the emotional scenes. I think she’s a complex character and I like exploring all the different sides of her personality.

What do you remember most from filming your first scene as Harmony, and what was it like meeting the rest of the cast for the first time?

The first scene I filmed was Harmony sleepwalking in Season 13 – Episode 3. I felt really lucky to be there, and one of the best things was getting to see the set and how things worked behind the scenes. The cast was so warm and welcoming on my first day. I knew that I was going to have a fun summer, and that I was going to make some really good friends. It’s really lovely being able to work with people who have similar interests and hobbies!

Have you had any favourite and any most challenging episodes to film, and how do you find the experience on set?

One of my favourite behind the scenes was when we did a night shoot for the camping episode. The scene involved us sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows whilst Bernie told us a spooky story. The production team warned us not to eat the marshmallows because they only had so many, but I looked over at Blake (Robinson, who plays Frankie) and his face was absoloutely covered in marshmallow. By that point, everyone gave up and we ate them in every other take.

Episode 10 was quite challenging due to the big fight me and Marni (Jae Moore, who plays Phoenix) have. The crew were very supportive and made the whole experience comforting to film. I’m super proud of how the scene turned out in the end!

Can you tell us about attending the screening/launch event in January with your fellow The Dumping Ground cast members and Dani Harmer (Tracy Beaker) and Kia Pegg (Jody Jackson), who both starred in the franchise previously?

It was both the audiences and our own first times watching the new series and I remember holding Kanon’s (Narumi, who plays Hana) hand because we were filled with a mixture of excitement and nerves! Apart from the actual show, it was so nice being able to see the cast again, including Dani and Kia, because we hadn’t seen each other for a couple of months. This was also the first time I could tell people about my role as I had to keep it a secret prior to this.

What was it like being a guest on Blue Peter in February and filming for live TV?

It was a cool experience being a guest on Blue Peter, especially because I was a fan of the show when I was little, and really wanted a Blue Peter badge. I did end up getting my Blue Peter badge when I was there! We played a game where we watched older series of The Dumping Ground and had to guess what happens next, and it was funny because we had to re-enact what we thought was the right answer. A bonus was some of the crew members on Blue Peter also worked on The Voice, so it was lovely getting to see them again!

Series 14 of The Dumping Ground has already filmed and is set for an upcoming release on CBBC and BBC iPlayer, how was it returning to film Series 14 and what are you looking forward to for the release?

This past year filming for Series 14 has been so much fun! I missed everyone so much, and I have made some best friends for life! So many great memories have been made and I’m super excited for the upcoming release. There is a lot of drama, pranks, laughter, and tears, and I hope people enjoy it!

How was it playing Little Cosette on the 2022 UK & Ireland Tour of Les Misérables and performing the song Castle on a Cloud?

It is one of my favourite memories, I will always remember that experience because it was like a dream come true! A while before this, I watched SIX the Musical and was totally in awe of Lauren Drew, who played Catherine of Aragon. When I got Little Cosette, I had no idea who would play Fantine, but when I found out that it would be Lauren Drew I think I screamed with joy. I met her and was totally starstruck!

Performing Castle on a Cloud was so amazing and I’m really proud of my performances! Being small and scared compared to Madame Thénardier shouting at me was actually really fun. At one point, Thénardier had to lift me up into the air and tell me to act sick, so I would flop in his arms whilst he would fake cry over me. It was funny when the audience would laugh at it!

As a singer, you were a contestant on Series 7 of The Voice Kids in 2023, what are some of your favourite memories from being involved with the show?

When we weren’t practicing our songs together, we would have loud singing parties and hang out in each other’s hotel rooms. Everyone would play their instrument and I even got to try playing the harp!

What was it like having Danny Jones as your coach and reaching the Battles round?

He is such a lovely person and he is really funny. On the day that we filmed our training with him, it was actually his birthday, and he let all the crew members eat some of his cake! He was close with all of us and he was very down to earth and approachable. In the first round, I was really nervous in case the chairs didn’t turn, which made singing harder, but by the Battles round, I was calm, excited, and less worried about the outcome. I loved the Battles! Also, some of my best friends came to see me that day, so I felt very supported!

We understand you recorded as several characters in Final Fantasy XVI, can you tell us about this?

The main character I recorded for was Ruqa, a little girl who is curious about ‘the world beyond the wall’. It surpirsed me how much you use your face when voice acting. I really enjoyed recording the voiceover, and it uncovered a new side of acting for me. I would love to do more voiceovers in the future!

How was it filming for the Sainsbury’s – Helping Everyone Eat Better commercial?

It was my first-ever job so I was so excited! Being behind the scenes for the first time was a moment I won’t forget. The studio was very big and the food that they were cooking was real so it smelled amazing!

Where does your love of acting and singing come from and how did you get into performing?

My mam’s side of the family is very musical, we love singing together! I always (dramatically) performed something for my family when I was young, for example, I would wear my Elsa dress and sing Let It Go and chuck my tiara to the floor. When I was seven, my mam took me to see the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical and I loved it! Immediately after it finished, I stood up, pointed to the stage and said, “Mam, that’s what I want to do!”. After that, I learnt the song and choreography to the song Naughty in my bedroom and showed my stage school at the time. They then invited me to perform it at the Whitley Bay Playhouse, and I got noticed by the casting directors of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical, who invited me to audition in London.

Do you have any favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch, and music artists to listen to?

Whilst we were filming, I lived in a house with Kanon and Mimi (Robertson) and our favourite series to watch whilst eating our pudding was Friends. I love the film 10 Things I Hate About You and the Spider-Verse franchise. Artists I love are Sam Fender, Destiny’s Child, SZA, Frank Ocean, Rihanna, beabadoobee… the list could go on for miles. My favourite song at the moment is Super Rich Kids. Currently, me Kanon and Lara (Mehmet) are obsessed with a girl group called KATSEYE, we learnt all their dances and harmonise to their songs!

How do you like to spend your free time?

I am a creative person, so apart from singing, I love playing the piano, dancing, listening to music, drawing, reading, etc. Anything creative, I enjoy! I also have a really good group of friends that I like to hang out with, and I often video call Kanon and Lara from TDG! We usually like to play online video games together.

What are you hoping the next few months bring for you and do you have any projects coming up that you can share?

I am in my GCSE year at school, so I am mainly focussing on my studies at the moment. I am continuing to train with weekly acting classes in the hope that I will have more opportunities to audition and work on other roles in the near future.

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